Learn Claude Code with Claude Howto (2026)

Claude Howto is a community-built visual learning resource with Mermaid diagrams and copy-paste templates. Here is a structured path through it that gets you productive with Claude Code in one afternoon.

Prerequisites

  • Claude Code installed
  • Git installed (to clone the guide)
  • A project to practice with (any codebase works)

Step 1: Clone the Guide

git clone https://github.com/luongnv89/claude-howto.git ~/claude-howto

Open the main README to see the table of contents:

cat ~/claude-howto/README.md | head -100

Step 2: Follow the Beginner Path

Start with these sections in order:

Getting Started — Basic Claude Code usage, session management, and project setup. The Mermaid diagram shows the session lifecycle from start to end.

CLAUDE.md Configuration — How to create and structure your CLAUDE.md file. Copy the beginner template directly into your project:

# Copy the beginner CLAUDE.md template to your project
cp ~/claude-howto/templates/claude-md-beginner.md /path/to/your/project/CLAUDE.md

Basic Commands — Essential slash commands and how to use them. The visual guide maps commands to use cases.

Tool Use — How Claude uses Read, Write, Edit, Bash, and other tools. The Mermaid diagram showing tool selection logic is particularly helpful.

Step 3: Practice With Templates

The power of Howto is its templates. For each topic, find the template and apply it to your project:

Hook template: Copy a pre-commit hook configuration from the hooks section. Apply it to your project and test it with a commit.

MCP template: Copy an MCP server configuration from the MCP section. Install the server and verify Claude can use it.

Command template: Copy a custom slash command from the commands section. Use it in a Claude Code session.

Each template is designed to work immediately after copying. Modify later as you learn more.

Step 4: Study the Diagrams

Mermaid diagrams in Howto communicate architecture and workflows visually. Key diagrams to study:

  • Hook execution flow — Shows how pre-command and post-command hooks chain together
  • MCP server architecture — Shows how MCP servers connect to Claude Code
  • Context window management — Shows how Claude prioritizes information when context is limited
  • Tool selection logic — Shows how Claude decides which tool to use

View these on GitHub where Mermaid renders automatically, or use a local Mermaid renderer.

Step 5: Build Your Setup

Using what you have learned, assemble your Claude Code configuration:

  1. Start with the CLAUDE.md template from Step 2
  2. Add a hook from the hooks section
  3. Add an MCP server from the MCP section
  4. Add a custom command from the commands section

Test everything in a Claude Code session. Iterate based on what works for your workflow.

Verification

After completing this path, you should be able to:

  • Explain what CLAUDE.md does and why it matters
  • Use at least 5 slash commands confidently
  • Configure at least one hook
  • Set up at least one MCP server
  • Understand Claude’s tool selection behavior

Intermediate Path (After Your First Week)

Once comfortable with the basics, progress to these topics:

Hooks — Learn how to automate quality checks. The Howto guide includes a Mermaid diagram showing the hook lifecycle and templates for the most common hooks (linting, formatting, testing).

MCP servers — Extend Claude’s capabilities. Follow the MCP section’s guide to add your first external server. Start with a database or filesystem server for immediate utility.

Context management — Understand how Claude handles the context window. The diagram showing what gets compressed and what gets preserved helps you write more effective prompts.

Custom agents — Combine the CLAUDE.md template with custom commands to create specialized agents. The guide includes example agents for code review, security audit, and documentation.

Three features set Claude Howto apart from generic tutorials:

Mermaid diagrams are embedded: Every complex concept has a visual representation that renders directly on GitHub. You do not need to imagine how hooks chain together — you see the flow.

Templates are tested: Each copy-paste template has been used in real projects. They are not theoretical examples — they are working configurations extracted from real workflows.

Progressive complexity: Topics build on each other. The beginner path gives you enough to be productive. The intermediate path deepens your understanding. The advanced path covers edge cases and optimization. You always know what to learn next.

Troubleshooting

Templates do not work as expected: Howto templates may lag behind the latest Claude Code version. Check the last commit date on the specific template file. Cross-reference with official documentation. If a template fails, check the repo’s Issues tab for fixes.

Mermaid diagrams do not render: View on GitHub.com where Mermaid renders natively. Local markdown editors may need a Mermaid plugin. VS Code users can install the “Markdown Preview Mermaid Support” extension.

Too many topics, where to focus: Stick to the beginner path in Step 2. The intermediate and advanced sections can wait until you have used Claude Code for a week. Focus on CLAUDE.md and basic commands first — they deliver the most immediate value.

Next Steps

Try it: Paste your error into our Error Diagnostic for an instant fix.

Get started → Generate your project setup with our Project Starter.

Configure MCP → Build your server config with our MCP Config Generator.